Euroviews. 'Quiet hiring' is silently revolutionising the workplace

In today's fast-paced business environment, maintaining a steady headcount while simultaneously investing in the professional development of existing staff has become a concern for many organisations. 

Enter "quiet hiring" — a sign of the times that allows employers to bridge talent gaps while achieving both objectives.

Quiet hiring is gaining traction as a strategic alternative to traditional recruitment methods. Instead of constantly expanding the workforce through external hires, companies are increasingly focusing on upskilling and retraining the talent right under their noses, to meet evolving business needs. 

By doing so, they not only maintain a stable headcount but also foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within their organisation.

Just last year, Gartner listed quiet hiring as one of the top workforce predictions for 2023, underscoring its increasing importance. Unlike other buzzwords, quiet hiring appears here to stay and is perfectly positioned to disrupt conventional recruitment strategies.

The skills gap has been blown wide open, with AI playing a critical role in its expansion. AI is not just a desirable skill anymore; it has become indispensable for learning and career progression, and is sought after by most, if not all hiring teams. 

The past year has unveiled an increase in fire-and-rehire tactics, with numerous companies — including Google, TikTok and Grammarly — announcing staff layoffs, primarily to accommodate the next phase of an AI-skilled talent.

These global waves of layoffs have left companies grappling with a bigger challenge: balancing workforce numbers while still investing in the growth of teams. 

That's where upskilling comes in. Rather than viewing layoffs as the only solution to